Official Madden 2007 Topic

yea these ratings cant be right, but if Fergusion's pass block really is 95 rated i cant complain But No way does kendall fall all the way to 83 i exspect him more like 88-87. And Moore should be 84. I think clemens arm strengh should be 89-91. i wouldnt complain with Coles being 89 rated and 98 speed. Also i think Cothery is alittle low, i think he should be higher then Dwight. And baker should at least be 84-85. And Vilma no way goes 90 when he was 94 at the end of Madden 2006 updates. Vilma should be 95 atleast. Thomas should be 77 atleast not 73. I like Dysons rating of 87 but think Barret is alittle low at 83, he should be like 86.

yea i agree. i also like how they kept curtis martin at 91 overall cus last time he got injured and just got over 1,000 yards they dropped him down to the low 80's and he was real slow.

i looked at the cardinals roster too for the hell of it and anquan boldin and larry fitzgerald are still underrated in that game. Boldin should have at least 70 in break tackle cus he does it a lot. and fitzgerald should be higher speed than 89 least lil faster than boldin.

also i didnt like the fact mangold had less strength than ferguson. i thionk mangold is stronger ferguson more of a quick lineman with good technique.

looks pretty good. maddens been knkown to make its mini games better then the game itself. i'm sorry i'd rather have a great game with no extras then a decent game with a ton of extra features like running a 40 yard dash. why not get a pad and run yourself like the old nintendo olymic game?

The E.A article with the Ortiz guy makes me feel alittle better in the direction of the game. As long as they address A.I which I think is the most critical part to madden I'm happy. JUST FIX THE DAMN A.I E.A!!!.

I'm also pleased that they are bringing back mini-camp so players can shapen their stick(joy-sticks) skills.

I'm not really pleased about how they made the vision cone turned off by default. I hope they can fix it for Online gaming, because thats where I do most of my "maddening" lol. With the cone turn off by default guy can get really cheesy. For instance using Vick and running to far right and thrown to the far left on every down. OR taking guys like McNabb and dropping back 20 yards and throwing it for 70 over the DB and safeties heads like they did in 05. I was ridiculous.

But from the sounds of everything it's "SOUNDING" pretty nice so far. E.A don't let me down. I'm footballless right now because of you bastards don't make me have to go buy on old Xbox and 06 or 07 for the old system. Because if the 360 version is going to suck like it very well could, then I'll have no other option.

Season Behind the Season, #1 : The Video Game Store ManagerAs we get closer to the launch of Madden NFL 07 this August, it’s time to check in with various members of the rabid Madden gaming community to see how they’re getting ready for the big day when the game finally hits store shelves. In The Season Behind The Season, various community members – from the manager of a video game store to the proprietor of a top Madden fansite to even the mildly disgruntled spouse of a hardcore Madden gamer – weigh in with their thoughts on how they’re preparing themselves for the arrival of this year’s biggest and best sports game.

By Marcus S. of Columbus, OH

As a video game store manager, I must know the key times during the year that directly relate to the business: what holiday season it is, what day of the week it is, and what new releases are out. There is no other release that requires more attention than the release of the annual Madden NFL series. Like its real-life counterpart, Madden is the most popular and dominant brand in its genre. Each year, the lines get bigger as the game gets better. Outside of the shops, the customers wait in their NFL team memorabilia, talking trash about their experiences with last year’s version -- their ups-and-downs and epiphanies of an offense which they used to win a tournament. If you’re a fan of the game, you have nowhere else to be but at Madden’s midnight release.

The madness starts around the month of December, when a few customers come into the store and ask when the pre-orders will be available for the new Madden. After being told that there is no timetable on that, the customers leave without buying anything, their hopes crushed. It is amazing to me -- not that they are asking about when Madden will be open for pre-orders, but that I can clearly tell that Madden is the only game that they play.

I know that these people will be at my store about two to three hours before midnight to get their hands on a copy of the game. I know some who have already scheduled time off work and/or school. And I know that I would be doing the same thing as well, if I were not their ambassador of pixilated pigskin. I, until midnight on that day, have been counting down the days before the release so I myself could test the field. My obsessive mentality must subside, however, because my job is to gear up for this event.

In May, my store begins to receive the lithos for the “reserve now” jewel cases that are displayed throughout the store. The signage (window vinyls and standees) are delivered in June. Pre-orders by now are through the roof, and I must then figure out what will be planned for the midnight release. A tournament giving away a free copy of the game would be the most likely choice, as these hardcore fans think they are the best of the best. I could also go buy NFL jerseys or hats to give away as prizes in trivia contests, which most customers eat up. My sole purpose is to entertain them until the time they are allowed into the store to purchase a copy of their own.

If all goes according to plan, the night is a success and the store I run gathers enough revenue to beat its plan for the entire week -- all in those few hours before a football game is released. Obviously it isn’t just a football game to the crazed fans, nor is it to me. This is Madden, and this is my season before the season.

...next week: The Madden Fansite Owner

If you have any suggestions for future 'Season Behind the Season' installments write to us at maddencommunity@ea.com

One thing Id like to see changed is the offseason in franchise mode and the draft and FA in particularly. I don't like the way teams draft the same position two/three years in a row in the 1st round like the QB position. I know the computer does it based on the ratings at each position but they should put a feature in where the 1st round pick in the previous year is seen as a player for the future like in reality and that position isnt drafted in consecutive years.

One thing Id like to see changed is the offseason in franchise mode and the draft and FA in particularly. I don't like the way teams draft the same position two/three years in a row in the 1st round like the QB position. I know the computer does it based on the ratings at each position but they should put a feature in where the 1st round pick in the previous year is seen as a player for the future like in reality and that position isnt drafted in consecutive years.

If you play long enough, you realise that players don't progress very well. Usually by the time the majority of the current rosters of "real" players are retiring I find that I play teams consisting of mostly high seventies ranked players with a few eighties. The rare ninety-plus rated guy is almost always someone I've cut or traded.

I think that factors in to teams drafting players at the same position in consecutive years. They draft, say, a QB who starts out as a 75 rookie and who doesn't start, probably even drops some because players seem to regress more in the preseason than progress, and so the game wants another QB. Just my theory, but it seems like a pretty reasonable possibility.

If you play long enough, you realise that players don't progress very well. Usually by the time the majority of the current rosters of "real" players are retiring I find that I play teams consisting of mostly high seventies ranked players with a few eighties. The rare ninety-plus rated guy is almost always someone I've cut or traded.

I think that factors in to teams drafting players at the same position in consecutive years. They draft, say, a QB who starts out as a 75 rookie and who doesn't start, probably even drops some because players seem to regress more in the preseason than progress, and so the game wants another QB. Just my theory, but it seems like a pretty reasonable possibility.

That's exactly why it happens and it's so irritating.

I find it stupid how all my picks progress loads (say an average of 6 points a season) whereas players on other teams progress by about 1 point a season. So by the end of one year my 7th rounder is like an 85 grade and a 1st round QB who has started all year is a 75. I find the lower picks progress quicker than the 1st day picks. I also find that the ninety plus rated guys are people I've cut or traded.

Another thing I don't like about Madden are some of the preseason battles but this is due again to the progression, or lack thereof, of players on other teams. For example for me Carson Palmer has been in preseason battles for each of the 3 seasons I've played so far and he has been selected to a couple pro bowls but his job isn't safe. It's like that with other guys like Leftwich and Alex Smith who started in one season and made the pro bowl before losing in preseason to Rohan Davey! I try to ensure I get 1st rounders and franchise QBs starting as well as trying to do the same with other positions where players have been picked in the 1st round.

I find it stupid how all my picks progress loads (say an average of 6 points a season) whereas players on other teams progress by about 1 point a season. So by the end of one year my 7th rounder is like an 85 grade and a 1st round QB who has started all year is a 75. I find the lower picks progress quicker than the 1st day picks. I also find that the ninety plus rated guys are people I've cut or traded.

Another thing I don't like about Madden are some of the preseason battles but this is due again to the progression, or lack thereof, of players on other teams. For example for me Carson Palmer has been in preseason battles for each of the 3 seasons I've played so far and he has been selected to a couple pro bowls but his job isn't safe. It's like that with other guys like Leftwich and Alex Smith who started in one season and made the pro bowl before losing in preseason to Rohan Davey! I try to ensure I get 1st rounders and franchise QBs starting as well as trying to do the same with other positions where players have been picked in the 1st round.

Other than that Madden is just so damn addictive.

I just find that players usually regress in preseason. I just sim the preseason and it seems like most of my team either doesn't improve at all or they drop a few points. I just don't see how guys get that much worse in limited time in four games; if anything, players should get better or nothing.

Also, QBs tend to do the worst as far as improving goes in my experience. While most teams at least have other positional players rated in the high seventies or low eighties, I see mostly low seventy or worse QBs starting.

When EA demoed Madden NFL 07 for the Xbox 360 before E3 and announced that Superstar mode was not in the game, that's all you could hear from the crowd of journalists.

Let's just say, EA heard the groans loud and clear.

"Personally, as gamers, this is a mode we didn't want to be without," said producer David Ortiz (not to be confused with Big Papi). "We had to have it. This is good stuff. So as the on-field stuff started to progress, we knew we could add it in toward the end. We saw the reaction from people hoping it was in there, but we couldn't talk about it yet. We had already started talking about putting it in, and that reaction only encouraged us to try harder and put in the extra hours to get it in. But as gamers on the team, we wanted that Superstar experience if we could pull it off."

And the crew at Tiburon did pull it off, announcing this week that 360 gamers are in fact going to get the single-player feature they were screaming for.

If you're unfamiliar with NFL Superstar Hall of Fame mode, it's a new and improved version of the Superstar feature originally found in the current gen versions of Madden NFL 06. The goal of the 07 mode is to create your own player, then only play as that player from his position-specific camera angles throughout his career (you can play any position except kicker or punter in next-gen), eventually trying to earn enough stats and influence in the league to be named to the Hall of Fame. So if you create a wide receiver, you actually only play as the receiver, complete with a different camera angle showcasing your player, with special moves tied to the right analog stick for every position. That means you don't call the play (you're not the coach). You don't throw the ball (you're not the QB). And you don't play defense (you simply watch the game and cheer for the D to play strong). For those gamers who don't want to watch the defense, you do have the option to take over the D and play that side of the ball like a normal game, but if you decide to watch, the gameplay is sped up so you don't have to sit and wait too long.

Playing receiver, you're given your route, then it's up to you to run it. You can call for the ball ala Randy Moss by waving your arm, but as a rookie, who is going to listen to you? The better you play, the more influence you gain on your team and around the league, so as you build up a rep, that QB will start looking your way more often. Each play, you're given your route assignment, so it's your job to work your way open to get the ball.

As you play, you'll quickly realize that even if you have skills, your teammates play a major role in shaping your superstar. If your created receiver gets drafted by the Colts and Peyton Manning gets injured, obviously your stats are going to take a hit as Jim Sorgi throws the ball at your feet instead of hitting you in stride (although you won't have to worry about the passing cone this year as it's still there, but now turned off by default).

Before every drive, you select your role in the scheme. Using the receiver example, you can play as a Possession Receiver, and this will increase your catching ability and the QB accuracy. You can play as a Burner, and this will send you deep, affecting not only your speed and awareness, but it will also negatively affect the rating of the CB trying to cover you one-on-one. Or you can be the Lone Wolf, forgetting about the team game and trying to rack up as many yards and catches as possible. As a cornerback, your roles are Coverage DB, a Blitz Specialist, or again, the Lone Wolf. This all leads to character development and how you're viewed as a teammate, adding extra depth beyond simply catching passes over the middle or picking off a pass and trying to take it to the house.

Pile on the stats and one day you'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But you won't be the only legend in the game as EA Sports went out and signed approximately 160 legends this year for you to unlock in Madden. Players like Barry Sanders, Steve Largent, Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, Deacon Jones, Dan Fouts, and Sonny Jurgensen. Some, like Sanders, have dominated Madden games in the past. Others like Earl Campbell, might just make those Truck Stick moves more lethal than ever.

Added Ortiz: "In Superstar mode, your goal is to get your player to the Hall of Fame, then on top of that we have a bunch of Hall of Fame players for gamers to unlock. In the 360, you unlock the Hall of Fame players all kinds of ways in the game. And once you unlock those Hall of Fame players, you can use them on your regular teams inside and outside of Franchise mode. And what happens with our Hall of Fame players, there are different ways to unlock them through different tasks and through Madden Gamer Level. Then once you unlock these guys you unlock a template for a type of player you can build in create-a-player. So how create-a-player works, it's driven by the type of template you have for your guy. You can make a scrambling quarterback, a pocket passer, a bounce quarterback, and his initial limits are driven by what player type he is. But once you take him into Franchise mode, you can continue to develop him in every area. He starts out as a type of player based on that initial template. Once you unlock Hall of Fame players, you actually unlock that type of guy. So if you unlock Barry Sanders, a player who is strong, a slasher with good speed, by default, you wouldn't be able to create a Barry Sanders-like player right out of the box, but once you unlock him, you can create a Barry Sanders-like player."

There will, however, be some notable differences between Superstar modes in current and next gen. "We don't have all of the same off the field features," explains Ortiz. "Instead of the apartment, we base the game around your calendar. You still hire and fire your agent, you still have different quality level of agents who can help you improve in different areas of the game. But, for example, we don't have the movie scripts. That's not something that we went after. We wanted you to focus more on training your player. You can still do stuff like demand a trade. You still will get different offers for endorsements. All of that still happens in the 360 as well, but again, our forcus is centered around the on-field experience. We're really trying to use the mini-games to develop the players. Things like the 40, things like the bench, things like the position specific drills, and tying those into Superstar mode as well to help shift the focus to on the field."

And once you get your player on the field, the Madden team is already picking favorite positions.

"I like playing running back, quarterback, safety, and middle linebacker," says Ortiz. "Offensive lineman is actually pretty cool. You're plowing open holes and keeping pressure off of the quarterback. It's just a different level of tension and anticipation playing each position. Safety is very cool because you can see plays develop and then run up and make the big hit. Strong safety is cool because you can blitz a lot, but then you're also back there in coverage. It's a nice cross between playing linebacker and safety."

And while adding Superstar mode is great, what about Owner mode?

"Owner is not a focus for us this year," says Ortiz. "We were excited with everything we've added this year. From the Madden Gamer Level to the mini-games to the player rehab and development throughout the season, then adding in Superstar mode towards the end, we think, there should be no question about the depth of this product and what we're giving users this year. Add in things like Live Opponent, new ways for people to experience Franchise mode, and we'll see how people respond then go back to the drawing board for next year. Everything we do, we really want to tailor it for next-gen. We didn't want to rush Owner mode in."

Looks like all of you wannabe Jerry Jones' will have to wait at least another season to raise the price of popcorn.

Until then, it seems like EA is turning a lot of those initial moans and groans to cheers with Madden 360.

The feature sounds amazing, and from what I've seen on current gen, is a huge improvement over Superstar mode from last year.

If it plays as good as it sounds, this will be the mode everyone is talking about come August as they try to make it to the Hall of Fame from every position.

Honestly f*** superstar and owner mode. This is another report where they haven't mentioned anything about A.I and game play. The player controlled movements where so garbage and it seems it's going to be the same way after looking at the NCAA trailer. It's like the guy your controlling can never run straight without him swirling left to right before you actually get him where you want to go. This game is going to feel just like 06 for next gen I can feel it.

Honestly f*** superstar and owner mode. This is another report where they haven't mentioned anything about A.I and game play. The player controlled movements where so garbage and it seems it's going to be the same way after looking at the NCAA trailer. It's like the guy your controlling can never run straight without him swirling left to right before you actually get him where you want to go. This game is going to feel just like 06 for next gen I can feel it.

if it feels retarded like 06 i probably just will return it. it really wouldnt be worth my time.